Lasell University

Lasell was founded in 1851 as the "Auburndale Female Seminary" by Williams College Professor of Chemistry, Edward Lasell, after he took a sabbatical from his job in Williamstown to teach at the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hg5OAAAAYAAJ|title=Christian work: illustrated family newspaper, Volume 63|year=1897|page=206}} where the experience inspired him to invest more personally in women's education. He died of typhoid fever during the first semester, but his school proved highly successful as a first-rate educational institution and was soon renamed "Lasell Female Seminary" in his memory.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rqvWQWtFKl0C|title=Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts with a history of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 3|last=Crane|first=Ellery Bicknell|publisher=Lewis Pub.|year=1907|page=44}}

Its name later changed to "Lasell Seminary for Young Women", and in 1874, governance was given to a board of trustees and Principal Charles C. Bragdon.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UNlOAAAAYAAJ|title=The American kitchen magazine|volume= 7–8|publisher=The Home Science Publishing Co.|year=1897|page=221}} Bragdon further expanded the faculty to make Lasell renowned as a more academically rigorous institution, a prestigious school with a highly scientific approach to domestic work, art, and music. As an innovative institution, known for a radical approach to women's education at the time, Lasell also administered the Harvard exams and offered law courses for women.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/earlydaysinauur00pelo|title=Early days in Auburn Dale: a village chronicle of two centuries, 1665–1870|publisher=Auburndale woman's club|year=1917|pages=[https://archive.org/details/earlydaysinauur00pelo/page/79 79]–85}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4LKgAAAAMAAJ|title=Journal of pedagogy|volume= 17|publisher=Albert Leonard, William Henry Metzler, Jacob Richard Street|year=1904|page=252}}

File:Lasell Seminary, Auburndale, Mass LCCN2007661857.tif

Lasell also offered two years of standard collegiate instruction as early as 1852 and is cited as having been the "first successful and persistent" junior college in the United States.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdc7AAAAIAAJ&q=%22lasell+junior+college%22|title=The rise and demise of the Hershey Junior College: an historical-descriptive study of the Hershey Junior College, Hershey, Pennsylvania, 1938–1965|publisher=Stiegel Print|year=1973|page=29}} In 1932, the college changed its name to "Lasell Junior College", and the school officially began offering associate degrees in 1943.{{cite web|url=http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/59352|title=1943 Chap. 0552. An Act Authorizing Lasell Junior College To Grant The Degrees Of Associate In Arts And Associate In Science.|work=state.ma.us|access-date=8 September 2015}} In 1989, Lasell adopted a charter to become a four-year institution (it no longer offers any two-year undergraduate degrees), and began admitting male students in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Campus-Life/Activities-and-Involvement/Lasell-Traditions-and-Events/History.html|title=Lasell College: Rich Past, Bright Future|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} Lasell also began offering master's degrees in 2002.

Lasell faced controversy in 2000 when seven former students sued and claimed that the nursing program, which had been discontinued in 1999, had been a "sham."{{cite news| last=Lyons | first= Sean Patrick | url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/67575334.html?FMT=ABS&date=Dec%2031,%202000 | work=Boston Globe | title=Former Nursing Students Sue Lasell College Program Was A Sham, Women Allege | date=December 31, 2000| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229014640/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/doc/405370078.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=&type=current&date=Dec%2031,%202000&author=&pub=&edition=&startpage=&desc=|archive-date=December 29, 2014}} The following year, the college built Lasell Village, an elderly education facility in which residents paid to live and attend classes. Although the college argued that the property was in line with its non-profit mission and exempt from property taxes, the city successfully sued the college for not paying property taxes for the property.{{cite news | url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/12/28/lasell_tax_case_ruling_is_one_for_the_textbooks/ | title=Lasell tax-case ruling is one for the textbooks | work=Boston Globe | date=December 28, 2003}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/mflb/lawseminar/2006book2handout3lasell-village-inc.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616190242/http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/mflb/lawseminar/2006book2handout3lasell-village-inc.pdf|archive-date=June 16, 2017|title=Lasell Village, Inc. vs. Board of Assessors, Newton|date=2006}}

In September 2010, a settlement was also filed in Suffolk Superior Court stipulating that Lasell would have to pay $191,314 to over 1,000 students over a conflict of interest in their Financial Aid Department. The investigation was done by the office of Attorney General Martha Coakley.{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=cagopressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Cago&b=pressrelease&f=2010_09_02_lasell_settlement&csid=Cago|title=Mass.gov|website=Mass.gov|access-date=6 February 2018}}

The college explored merging with Mount Ida College, another liberal arts institution located in Newton, in February 2018. The reasons given for the proposed merger were to help keep tuition cost as low as possible and maintaining academic quality.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/02/25/two-newton-colleges-move-toward-merging/mjNo01FPFF2RYYknascHKN/story.html|title=In effort to save money, two small colleges move toward merger|last=Krantz|first=Laura|date=2018-02-25|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=2018-03-23}}

In 2019, the institution's application to become a university was approved by the state board of education and it changed its name to Lasell University.{{cite web |url=https://www.lasell.edu/university-announcement.html |title=Welcome to Lasell University |publisher=Lasell University |date=2019 |access-date=August 13, 2019}}

File:Drown Shot Lasell University.jpg

Lasell has been accredited by multiple agencies, including the New England Commission of Higher Education,{{Cite web |title=Lasell University Accreditations |url=https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-institution/accreditations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121224655/https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-institution/accreditations.html |archive-date=2024-01-21 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.lasell.edu |language=en}} and offers bachelor's degrees in the liberal arts and professional disciplines.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Academics/Undergraduate-Majors-and-Minors.html|title=Undergraduate Majors and Minors|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} Through its "Connected Learning" program, students work on off-site projects and assignments.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Academics/Our-Approach-Connected-Learning.html|title=Our Approach: Connected Learning|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} Lasell also offers graduate degrees in education, communication, sport management, athletic training, criminal justice, human resources, marketing, management (MS and MBA), and rehabilitation science.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Academics/Graduate-and-Professional-Studies.html|title=Graduate & Professional Studies|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}}

In 2018, U.S. News & World Report listed Lasell College among only five other colleges with having 100 percent of its graduating seniors participate in an internship experience.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2018-01-16/10-colleges-where-students-usually-get-internships|title=10 Colleges Where Students Usually Get Internships|last=Kowarski|first=Ilana|date=January 16, 2018|website=U.S. News & World Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120140233/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2018-01-16/10-colleges-where-students-usually-get-internships|archive-date=2018-01-20|url-status=dead}}

In February of 2024, U.S. News & World Report named Lasell University's Master of Science in Criminal Justice Program one of its 2024 Best Online Programs.{{cite web | url=https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/news/criminal-justice-program-award.html | title=Master of Science in Criminal Justice program honored by U.S. News & World Report }}

In 2022, Lasell acquired the Solstice Low-Residency MFA Program[https://www.lasell.edu/graduate-studies/academics/mfa-in-creative-writing.html SOLSTICE MFA IN CREATIVE WRITING home page], Lasell University website. Retrieved March 28, 2022. from Pine Manor College, where it had been hosted since 2006.Petler, Tamar. [https://www.pmc.edu/the-solstice-mfa-creative-writing-program-transitions-to-lasell-university/ "News: The Solstice MFA Creative Writing Program Transitions to Lasell University,"] Pine Manor College website (Mar. 16, 2022). Solstice is four-semester Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing. In the low-residency format, students complete five 10-day, on-campus residencies and four semesters in which they work with their faculty mentors remotely from their homes. Residencies occur in January and July and start the spring and fall semesters, respectively. Solstice students may concentrate in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, comics & graphic narratives, or writing for children and young adults.[https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/news/solstice-mfa-announcement.html Discover Lasell: Solstice MFA In Creative Writing,"] Lasell University website (March 15, 2022).

File:East Hall, Lasell College, Auburndale MA.jpg

The Lasell campus covers roughly {{cvt|54|acre}} in the Newton, Massachusetts, village of Auburndale, adjacent to the Lasell Neighborhood Historic District. There are approximately 58 buildings, 27 of which are student dormitories.{{Cite web |title=Our Institution |url=https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-institution.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121223933/https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-institution.html |archive-date=2024-01-21 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.lasell.edu |language=en}} The campus is roughly bounded by Grove St to the west, the Woodland Golf Club to the south, Washington St (Route 16) to the east, and Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) and Central St to the north. Woodland Rd cuts east-west through the middle.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=Way: Lasell University (312958196) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/312958196 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=OpenStreetMap |language=en}}

The campus is located about half a mile from the Auburndale Commuter Rail station on the Framingham/Worcester Line, and about one mile away from the Riverside MBTA Station on the Green Line's D train, which takes commuters into the downtown Boston area. A shuttle runs regularly between the campus and Riverside Station.{{cite web |url=http://www.lasell.edu/Office-of-Business-and-Finance/Campus-Police/Programs-and-Services.html |title=Lasell College: Programs and Services |access-date=2011-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009072325/http://lasell.edu/Office-of-Business-and-Finance/Campus-Police/Programs-and-Services.html |archive-date=2010-10-09}}

File:Lasell University Spring Fashion Show.jpg

In 2018, of the 1,650 undergraduate students who attended Lasell, 73% lived on campus, 40% came from out-of-state, and 22% were students of color.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Discover-Lasell/Lasell-at-a-Glance.html|title=Lasell at a Glance|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} Roughly 36% of students at Lasell were male.{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/lasell-college-2158|title=U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges: Lasell College|access-date=6 February 2018}}

In Fall 2023, Lasell had 1,152 undergraduate students and 389 graduate students. The majority of both groups were white (63.28% of undergraduates, and 46.27% of graduates).

The majority of both groups were also from in-state (62.2% and 63.9%, respectively). About 65% of Lasell's student population was female, and 34% male; the remainder were transgender/non-binary.{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Our Students |url=https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-students.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121224112/https://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/facts-figures-and-faces/our-students.html |archive-date=2024-01-21 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website= lasell.edu |language=en}}

File:Lasell bgd logo from NCAA.svg

Lasell athletics teams are nicknamed the Lasers. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Lasell Lasers compete as members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the Great Northeast Athletic Conference{{cite web|url=http://laserpride.lasell.edu/landing/index|title=Lasell|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} in baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross-country, field hockey, softball, lacrosse, and track and field as intercollegiate varsity sports.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Athletics-and-Recreation/Varsity-Sports.html|title=Varsity Sports|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}}

In 2009, a mascot was introduced: Boomer the Torchbearer, named for the industrialists who sponsored Lasell's founding.{{cite web|url=http://www.lasell.edu/Athletics-and-Recreation/Boomer.html|title=Boomer|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} Among the school's club sports, women's and men's rugby are popular. There are intramural sports such as flag football in the fall, as well as basketball in the winter.

The student newspaper is called the 1851 Chronicle in reference to Lasell's founding year, and the student yearbook is called the Lamp. Polished Magazine is made by Lasell students.{{cite web|url=http://www.polishedfashion.com|title=Polished Magazine|work=polishedfashion.com|access-date=8 September 2015}} A student-run online college radio station began operation in the fall of 2004;{{cite web|url=http://radio.lasell.edu/|title=Lasell College Radio – Free College Radio Station Directions|work=lasell.edu|access-date=8 September 2015}} in 2016, the radio station began broadcasting on FM as WLAS-LP (102.9).{{cite news |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Ryan |last2=Ritchie |first2=Taylor |title=WLAS broadcasts FM, offers internship program |url=https://the1851chronicle.org/2016/09/23/wlas-broadcasts-fm-offers-internship-program/ |access-date=June 11, 2018 |work=The 1851 Chronicle |date=September 23, 2016}}

{{alumni|date=July 2023}}

• Annie Montague Alexander – explorer, naturalist, paleontological collector, philanthropist
• Martha Atwood – operatic soprano
• Sarah Lord Bailey – elocutionist and teacher
• Ada Langworthy Collier – poet, writer
• Nancy Donahue – fashion model{{Cite magazine |title=From Lasell to Mademoiselle |magazine=Lasell Bulletin |publisher=Lasell Junior College |publication-place=Auburndale, MA |date=Fall 1978 |volume=16 |number=1 |page=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/lasellbulletin19781lase/mode/2up |via=Internet Archive}}
• Elizabeth Jane Gardner – American painter
• Louisa Venable Kyle – historian, author, journalist
• Annie Bartlett Shepard – anti-women's suffrage activist and founder of the Derry, NH chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR){{Cite book |last=Leonard |first=John W. |url=https://archive.org/details/womanswhoswhoofa00leon/page/738/mode/2up |title=Woman's who's who of America: a biographical dictionary of contemporary women of the United States and Canada, 1914-1915 |date=1976 |orig-date=1914 |publisher=Gale Research Company |place=Detroit, MI |pages=739}}
• Helen Augusta Whittier – editor, lecturer, teacher, businesswoman

• James Anderson – government defense official and academic
• Anna Barrows – pioneering woman in the field of home economics
• Todd J. Leach – president of Granite State College, began his academic career at Lasell
• Mary Johnson Bailey Lincoln – considered one of the pioneers of the domestic science movement in the United States, taught at Lasell from 1885 to 1889
• Florence Jepperson Madsen – contralto singer, vocal instructor, and professor of music
• George McKendree Steele – educator and Methodist minister, former president of Lawrence University
• Lucy Johnston Sypher – children's book author

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book

|title=Lasell: a history of the first junior college for women

|author=Donald J. Winslow

|author-link=Donald James Winslow

|publisher=Lasell Junior College

|year=1987

|isbn=0-9619720-0-9}}

{{ccat}}

• {{oweb}}
• [https://laserpride.lasell.edu/ Athletics website]

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Category:Liberal arts colleges in Massachusetts

Category:Universities and colleges in Newton, Massachusetts

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1851

Category:1851 establishments in Massachusetts

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Category:Private universities and colleges in Massachusetts